p like roace all de whole lot. Come burn fellow place down like
dat. Ah, you don't want come, sah! Hah, I pob you in dah lil soft wet
dab ob dough, and now you got to come out nice cake all hot."

He felt about in the fine embers with the shovel, and directly after
thrust it under something invisible, drew it out, blew off a quantity of
glowing ash, tossed his find round and brown up in the air, caught it
again on the shovel, and held just under my nose a hot, well-cooked
bread-cake, showing his teeth the while, as he exclaimed triumphantly--

"Dah!"

"Bread," I said, mechanically.

"Nice hot cake, sah, for de capen, and Pomp got fibe more juss done.
Dat one for capen, one for Mass' George, one for Pomp fader, one for
Pomp. How many dat make?"

"Four," I said, in the same mechanical way.

"Four, and den dah two more for a-morrow mornin'."

"Oh, Pomp," I said, "how can you think of such things now!"

"Eh? Cos such boofle fire, and Pomp know where de barl ob flour. Mass'
George not glad to hab nice hot cake?"

I shook my head, but the boy was too busy fetching out his loaves, and
soon had the whole six, well-cooked and of a delicate creamy-brown,
beside him ready to be replaced in a little heap on the shovel.

"Dah!" he said; "now go take um home ready for tea."

"Why, Pomp," I said, sadly, "suppose the Indians come, what then?"

"What den? Dey 'tupid 'nuff to come, we shoot dem all, sah. Pomp don't
fink much ob Injum."

"Do you think they'll come to-night?"

"Pomp done know. 'Pose so."

"You think so, then?"

"Yes, Mass' George. Injum very 'tupid. Come be shot."

Evening was coming on so fast that it would soon, I felt, be put to the
proof, and followed by the boy with his cakes balanced on the shovel
held over his shoulder, I went back to our apology for a tent.

My coming in awoke my father, and he sat up wincing with pain, but
trying hard directly to hide his sufferings from me.

"Give me your hand," he said. "I must get out now and help."

I gave him my hand, and he rose, but sank back with his eyes half
closed.

"No," he said, sadly; "I have no strength. Go out and see what
preparations are being made, and--"

"Here is Colonel Preston, father," I whispered.

It was he, but he was not alone, for the General was with him, and both
exclaimed loudly against my father attempting to move, but stayed both
of them some time discussing the position, and asking his candid opinion
abou